farm guinea pigs (meat cavy!)

[Bug n Flock]

Gotten even busier. Anyone here have experience bottle raising rabbits? Lucy had 4 babies and was producing 0 milk. I didn't notice until yesterday and she had them Sat night/Sunday morning. One didn't make it through the night last night, but the remaining three seem to be doing ok. Gaining weight. Feeding them KMR mixed with a pinch of acidophilus. Ordered some powdered goat colostrum and some bene-bac probiotic and am picking up some heavy cream today also to mix a aplash of in.

Manually pottying, etc. I have bottle raised other orphan mammals before, but never rabbits. Any help would be appreciated. Will also be making a separate thread for just help with them.

Here are some pics of the pigs, who are doing well. Born on Halloween, my friend named them Trick and Treat.

The weird light is a plant light I got for a sad venus flytrap. For whatever reason it really does strange things to my camera, it is not that bad in person.

 

[Zoomie]

The pigs are adorable!

Can't help you with the hand-feeding of the bunnies, sounds like you are doing everything right. So you think they got no colostrum? That seems like their biggest challenge. Poor little things... I hope they pull through for you!

 

[Bug n Flock]

Yeah, they got no colostrum. Hopefully the powdered stuff I ordered helps, and that's also why I'm doing so many probiotics.

They are steadily gaining weight now and I am starting to get the hang of feeding them. Gained between 6.64g and 9.65g through the course of the day. I am hopeful they will be ok. I'm trying to be realistic with myself about their chances, but I'm already getting attached to the wee squirmy buggers.

 

[Zoomie]

@Bug n Flock: I am so sorry to hear they did not get colostrum. That really puts them behind the 8-ball.

What is the future of these bunnies? Having bred rabbits for years... I would not want to breed from them, because the doe had them and then had NO milk at all. That seems problematic to me. Or is there some kind of reasonable reason she did not come in to milk? Or are they for the freezer? I can totally understand that. One of the things I raise animals for is to feed my family. I think this is very honorable.

I had just been reading a thread about a lady with a very nasty-tempered doe, and was thinking, I would not want to breed from that. But this situation made me curious, because although it's looking promising and you might save the kits, I could not, in good conscience, recommend anyone breed from those kits. Too much likelihood of this issue repeating, alas, and it can not be easy, what you are going through! I hope this does not sound mean or cruel on my part. It's just that, with a lot of experience under my belt, I've learned from my own mistakes that if there is some kind of issue, you can end up accidentally breeding it into your stock. Even with the best of intentions.

 

[Bug n Flock]

The dark one had a touch of diarrhea earlier, but it's cleared up now. Their future is probably as pets if they survive. The doe is on the older side (2+), and was an outdoor bunny until I bought her a few months ago so maybe also stress? Also the litter was only 4, I don't know if there is a minimum number, but sometimes my rat moms struggle to keep producing milk wjen they have too small of a litter. She was a proven doe and had successfully raised 3 litters before I bought her.

Still, will probably not try breeding the doe again. Maybe will give her 1 more chance, but maybe will just send her to freezer camp and buy a younger doe.

 

[Zoomie]

No, I don't think there is some kind of limit on litter numbers. I had does who had smaller litters (maybe first timers, or certain breeds that can be like this) and never had an issue. Being a proven doe is odd that she did not come in to milk... so maybe it was being changed to different circumstances? Or perhaps this particular line is not a long-producing one? Interesting!

Well it sounds like you are making some tough decisions but I'm glad you are aware of these factors. I sure hope the kits make it... it is sounding better all the time, I hope they pull through for you!

 

[Bug n Flock]

The smallest is over 77g now. The powdered goat colostrum came, as well as the benebac, so I added some in to this last feeding. Hopefully there will be no tummy upset, I only added a dash of the colostrum to start with. Messy face photo (baby got put back with a wet but clean face and hay dust stuck to the wet patch):

 

[biophiliac]

The smallest is over 77g now. The powdered goat colostrum came, as well as the benebac, so I added some in to this last feeding. Hopefully there will be no tummy upset, I only added a dash of the colostrum to start with. Messy face photo (baby got put back with a wet but clean face and hay dust stuck to the wet patch):View attachment 1183693

 

[Bug n Flock]

Pocket just had a healthy litter of 4.

Also, the bunnies are weaned now. All three made it. the brown one has a home and is going to it this weekend, the other two are for sale.

 

[Bug n Flock]

Oh, and mommabun is dinner tonight. Yum yum